Skydive anyone?

Ricardo

Close to the soccer fields where my son was playing in Tampa there was a sky diving school or something; was lucky enough to get these pictures. This is one of those things I've always wanted to do, but never had the opportunity (or balls...). Anyone doing this?????

BlueMDPicker

Cool pics!

Nope, never had the urge to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

PolkThug

One of my best friends was nearly killed on his first jump. Primary chute got tangled up and he went into a spin. Didn't get the backup chute open until a couple seconds before hitting the ground. From the viewpoint on the ground from the jump place it looked like he went splat. He was shaking for a couple days after that. I have no desire to try it.

janmike

Jumped for 3 years, met my wife and she made me promise I would not do that anymore. Nice shots.

bobman1235

Went once. It was indescribably cool, but my logical mind has kept me from repeating the adventure.

That and it's kinda 'spensive.

BIZILL

my boss went through a mid-life crisis and dragged my **** with him. i'm so damned afraid of heights, mind you. first things that bugs any sane human being are the releases you must sign. they used the word DEATH more than a few times. anyway we did our first jump tandem. i had a honkin' huge dude strapped on my back. it included the whole freefall. had it videotaped. you have to record it because it all happens so fast that you hardly believe you're doing it and hard to recall actually having done it afterward.
then we decided to step it up a notch and take the class to jump solo via static line. no freefall involved. my boss' first jump nearly killed him. he didn't keep his head up like they instructed. he looked down which threw him into a flip that got him tangled in a web of strings. somehow he managed to get himself untangled. he was all bruised up underneath his armpits.
the place we went to was some low-rent joint. tiny **** planes that packed you in like sardines. then instead of jumping outta the door you must CLIMB out onto the wheel while holding onto the wing strut. wind is hitting you all over the place. but it's such a rush you don't have time to be scared. you do a tiny bunny hop and begin your plummet toward earth. within 7 seconds the parachute opens (hopefully). then they guide you down via radio strapped on your chest. to turn left, pull down with you left hand and right, right hand. i'm lookin' down at my feet and the tiny specks (buildings) and trying to keep calm. i'm so wimpy when it comes to heights. very peaceful up there.
the landing is by far my favorite, not only because the fear can end, but you come in hot and at the last second you pull both fists down past your hips and land ever so smoothly. good stuff, man!

here are two of my cheap pics from the episode. note the flapping cheek smile shot...

landry_p2000

Nice photos, and HELL NAW! Never done it and don't wish to. I don't know if I would like to see the ground coming at me that fast.

BIZILL

we gave up skydiving because of the cheap, shotty equipment this low-budget outfit used. i lost faith in their equipment when i saw freyed strings that attached my person to the chute. but we did travel to the next town, eloy arizona, and they are world renowned for their outfit. that's were teams always practice like the pics you have above. they did all those formations. they'd come in for a landing at like 60 mph and skim along the ground the length of a football field. on guy slid in horizontally, laying down about four inches off the ground and then pulled himself upright at the last second. it was beautiful.

BIZILL

htrookie, take some time to go to that school and just watch these guys practice. it's fun just watching them.

Shizelbs

I was going to do it for my bachelor's party, but I didn't want to twist my ankle or break anything.

I'll do it some day soon.

BIZILL

just remember to pay the raped charge of $60-$150 to film the ordeal. that way you can relive the moment. they set my tape to some rob zombie, dragula and godsmack, stand alone.

Skynut

I have allwayse wanted to do it but I am just too chicken s#!t

BIZILL

Skynut wrote:

I have allwayse wanted to do it but I am just too chicken s#!t

then by definition you cannot claim to be a sky-nut? :rolleyes:

Ricardo

BIZILL wrote:

htrookie, take some time to go to that school and just watch these guys practice. it's fun just watching them.

Yeah, that's about the closest I think I'll get to it..after all the horror stories I've heard....

Ron-P

I see'em jump nearly every day off the 15 freeway as I drive by Lake Elsinore here in CA. Once, I saw a guy spinning out of control and as he was on his way down the paramedics were blazing right past me.

I've always wanted to do it but now that I'm married with child I won't.

BIZILL

after my boss and myself went to check out the pro's do their work, i couldn't bare the fact that it was time to leave. but i think although it's still fun to watch, you cannot truely appreciate what they do until you do it yourself. never have i been overly interested in watching folk plummet from the sky until i strapped into a chute myself.

BIZILL

Ron-P wrote:

I see'em jump nearly every day off the 15 freeway as I drive by Lake Elsinore here in CA. Once, I saw a guy spinning out of control and as he was on his way down the paramedics were blazing right past me.

I've always wanted to do it but now that I'm married with child I won't.

elsinore is the 'BIG DOG' of skydiving venues.

BIZILL

for those not wanting to try skydiving, perhaps some bungie cording action? i've never done it, but i'm sure the RUSH would be pretty close.

landry_p2000

NO Thanks! :eek:

janmike

Like any other sport, if you push the envelope too far you need to be prepared to deal with the consequences. Human error will catch you every time.

VR3

No thanks...

I dont think I even want to ride in a plane...much less jump out of one...

landry_p2000

janmike wrote:

Like any other sport, if you push the envelope too far you need to be prepared to deal with the consequences. Human error will catch you every time.

If human error don't catch you, the ground will.

janmike

Just a little humour to prep you.

"When people look like ants PULL. When ants look like people PRAY."
"Out of a 10,000 foot fall, the last half inch hurts the most."
"Skydivers DO IT in the air."

bobman1235

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote:

No thanks...

I dont think I even want to ride in a plane...much less jump out of one...

How old are you Sid, you've never been on a plane?

ND13

The misses and I both want to bad, but with a 6 and a 7 year old, we'll have to put it off for a while. If she'd let me, I'd go do it this spring. She bought me a flight lesson for my BDay, so I may get my chance anyways, huh??

rskarvan

I've jumped three times. I stopped... because....after the 3rd jump, the thrill was significantly diminished. What's the point of jumping if its not extremely exciting.

janmike

rskarvan, freefall would definitely change that!

BIZILL

yeah, i never got that far either. i wanted to, but i didn't have the money to keep fartin' around with it. plus as i stated earlier, i was going to a place that used sub-par equipment that i had to trust my life with.

janmike

Sub-Par equipment, now that is pushing the envelope.

BIZILL

and pushed me to give it up. next place to get your license is an hour drive and their fees were much steeper.

janmike

Hell, I drove 3 hours (each way) to the drop zone. The one good thing was that they had inspections all the time (CSPA) and never had one fatality.